Beginning of a meeting between an elf and a man
by jennifer.riley.7758
Summary: This is a story that comes between The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies and Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. It is mainly based off the film versions. I do not own any of the characters except for the other Rangers. I originally used it for my GCSE English Lit Controlled Assessment.
1. Author Note

hello


	2. Chapter 2

The courtyard of Rivendell was a place of exquisite, natural beauty; especially to the mortal eye, even one, who has grown up in Rivendell, since he was two years old. It's honey coloured flagstones reflected the colour of the rocks in the deep valley in which Rivendell stood. The bright green leaves and silver bark of the trees that grew all around the valley shone like emeralds set in some magnificent brooch. A young man with dark eyes stood at the entrance of the courtyard. He was dressed in riding clothes which consisted of a dark tunic and elven armour. He wore dark trousers and sturdy boots. He had a black cloak wrapped around him. Beside him stood a beautiful black stallion. The horse stood placidly and snorted. The man stood deep in thought, staring at the waterfalls cascading into the end of the valley. Below him the water foamed as it streamed down the valley and the sunlight flashed of the spray.

Behind him, a little way off, stood Elrond, Elven Lord of Rivendell. He was as tall as Aragorn , but his pale skin contrasted with Aragorn's darker looks. He looked on impassively. Behind him an elven servant was leading a fine white mare away, back to the stables. Elrond and Aragorn had just returned from a morning ride. Elrond had told Aragorn of his true lineage as heir of Isildur and rightful King of Gondor.

Aragorn turned to face Elrond, "You never spoke of my lineage before now."

Elrond spoke calmly and steadily, "The enemy has many spies. It was important to keep your identity a secret."

Aragorn replied with a note of urgency, "And these rangers, who you say are my people. Should I not be helping if I am to be their king, rather than hide here?"

Elrond looked at Aragorn in the eyes and said, "I was waiting for you to come of age, to tell you. I sensed that you would want to go: I sent word to the leader of the rangers, Aragost, and he is coming to Rivendell. He will be here within two days. He will teach you all you need to know to fulfil your destiny."

Aragorn nodded. They stepped forward and embraced as a father and son would.

Four days later, Aragorn was in the courtyard again and dressed in travelling clothes under light chain mail. Nearby stood a tough looking man in green and brown clothes of rugged material. He was of slightly shorter stature than Aragorn, with the tanned complexion of one who spends his life outdoors. He was Aragost, leader of the rangers who patrolled the wild wastes keeping enemies from the settled parts of Middle-Earth. Next to him was another ranger, almost similar in looks and garb, but twenty years younger: Halbarad was his name.

While Aragorn was tending to his horse, Aragost was speaking to Elrond. " We plan to ride North following the Misty mountains, then head west. We have been hearing of orcs in groups, riding some wild beasts like large wolves. We want to see if they are gathering in larger groups. If they are, we will need the help of the Elves in dealing with them."

Elrond nodded grimly. "You will be heading into the ancient kingdom of Angmar. Take care; much evil still resides though the witch-king of old is long dead." Aragost glanced over to Aragorn. "He is skilled with a sword but there is much he will need to learn. I hope I can teach him in time for it to help him." Elrond spoke. "I do not let him go lightly but he is of age and much must be risked for a king to find his destiny". Aragost nodded and turned to mount his horse.

As Aragorn rode from Rivendell, another meeting was taking place many miles away across the Misty Mountains. Deep in the heart of the dark forest of Mirkwood, Thranduil, king of the woodland elves, was speaking with his son, Legolas. They were in the audience chamber of the king: A vast hall, whose roof and walls seemed to be made of the very living trees, with majestic branches swooping upwards to form arches.

"Legolas, my son. I have an important mission that will take up much time for you and take you far from your home." Legolas, bowed slightly, acknowledging his obedience to his father and king. His father continued. "I have received word from Rivendell that the heir of Isildur is of age and will go into the wild with the Rangers he is destined to lead as you are destined to follow me." Thranduil paused slightly, "Destiny is a uncertain business: men are weak and do not have our strength of purpose. His father, Arathorn was a good man and strong, but his son is young and he will need help to bring him to his true greatness and not to fall into darkness. Find this ranger in the wild and befriend him; help him".

Legolas, looked up to his father. "What name has this heir of Isildur?" His father replied with a slight hint of exasperation in his voice. "That has not been told to me. Elrond trusts very few and even we wood elves are not privy to all his thoughts. Go now and do my bidding". Legolas bowed and turned to leave with no more words.

As Legolas was preparing his journey, Aragorn was riding north with his companions, the majestic Misty Mountains to their right. They were high enough to have snow capped peaks even in the height of summer. The dark rock looked forbidding and impassable. Mist swirled around the top as was common around these mountains, giving them their name in the common tongue.

In the late afternoon of the second day, they reached the camp of the rangers. As they approached, Aragorn saw two rangers practising their swordplay. One of them; a slighter figure than the other and hooded, was having the best of it. They stopped and walked over to where Aragorn, Aragost and Halbarad were dismounting. The hooded figure nodded to Aragost who nodded in return. "You handle a sword well sir" said Aragorn by way of greeting. The figure laughed and pulled back the hood to reveal a young woman; fair of face with light brown hair and hazel eyes. "Thank-you but I am no sir". She laughed at Aragorn's evident surprise.

Aragost then introduced them. "Aragorn, I would like you to meet my second in command, Leya. Leya, this is Aragorn."

Leya turned to Aragost "I have heard rumour that the orcs are moving to attack the Shire. We should move and intercept them before they get close."

Aragost "Yes, we will camp tonight, but tell the men to prepare to move at first light."

Leya then turned to give the orders to the rest of the rangers. She then took up her position to guard the camp as a lookout on the first shift.

The next morning, the rangers awoke and Leya started shouting orders for them to get packed up to move out. Once packed up the rangers mounted their horses and moved out. During the ride Aragost and Leya were in the lead and Aragorn rode up alongside Leya. He was curious to know how Leya could command the respect of forty tough, weather beaten Rangers. As he rode up, she spoke first, saying, "So have you been on a mission like this before?" Aragorn replied with "No, this is my first time. And you? How long have you been Ranger?" Leya then said "I have been a Ranger since I was sixteen."

"So young?" asked Aragorn.

"My parents were killed by orcs and Aragost found me hiding in a cave: he took me and raised me as his own. I have been in the wild ever since. Let me give you two pieces of advice."

"What are they?" Aragorn asked.

"Don't trust what you see around you. You may think you are safe, but you are never safe."

"And the other piece?"

"Don't trust anyone but yourself and your closest friends; but even then beware."

"Thank you for the advice."

As the morning wore on and the sun climbed higher into the azure sky, he dropped back behind her to ponder this unusual woman. As he rode he took in the sweep of the mighty mountains, the expanse of grass dotted with wildflowers of all colours that shimmered in the heat; he heard the plaintiff calls of the birds flying overhead.

In Mirkwood, Legolas was riding the path through the shadowy immensity of the forest. It held no fears for him; being raised to live and hunt under its dark green canopy. He had with him five companions; soldiers of his father. They rode in single file along the path that ran beside the deep, swift forest river. They were heading upstream, to where the river sprang from the grey mountains. They will skirt the mountains and head into the northern waste to seek out the rangers.

On the way, he is thinking of his quest. He has been sent to find this mortal man by his father. He wondered why had Elrond not trusted his father with the name of Isildur's heir? Did Elrond even tell his father of this man's lineage or had his father found it from his spider-web of spies?

As he rode on towards the forbidding grey mountains, neither he nor Aragorn knew then how much their coming together would mean for the long war against the dark lord.

In the East a Darkness grew...


	3. Authors Note

Sorry I am stuck on this story, as it was originally a short story for my English Controlled Assessment at school and I have not thought about adding to it.

So I will _**not **_ be updating it. Sorry for the inconveinience.

I might update it if anyone would send ideas.


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